Reflection Two Hammer Hammer Hammer-Non digital technology
Who would have thought that
hammers, nails, screwdrivers, files, woods are a technology?
The significance of
technology in this area is resource knowledge and being able to utilise the
tools provided in a safe secure manner.
Hammer is a technology that
allows children to explore and can make tasks more manageable and fun. As much
as I want the children to play with these tools, I often get scared to let them
use the resources. Reflecting back when I was at school, I was never allowed to
go near the carpentry area. As soon as an adult saw me holding a nail or a
hammer, she/he would run like a lightning to snatch it off me. I feel the
perception back then was that, I was not ready to be introduced to such skill;
especially there was a limit of opportunities given.
This perception is
supported by Vygotsky who states, that the learning of children in the
technology world would be quite different, from the learning of children in a
culture that does not value such things, and does not support children to
develop skills in using and understanding these technologies (Arthur, Beecher, et al, 2008). Smorti (1999 Autumn) also
suggests that technology is influenced by the culture or the society in which
it occurs.
When I transfer this idea in my practice, I
will scaffold children’s learning by providing strategies to use: teaching
safety rules of how to handle and care for equipments effectively. Children
learn respect for tools and learn to be in control (Smorti, 1999 Autumn).
I assume this must be the
more reason why I react differently when I see children having fun hitting the
nail into the wood. I suddenly think about the safety issues that the child
will encounter. When I notice a child performs just beyond her reach, I then
offer extra support so she is able to do things that she is unable to fulfil on
her own. Vygotsky refers to this process as a zone of proximal development,
where cognitive progress takes place (MacNaughton & Williams, 2009).
I will supervise children very closely when
handling hammers, nails, files and other tools. I will hammer a large head
nails and drive the nail partially into the wood: let child finishes driving
the nail all the way into the wood. By scaffolding children’s learning, teacher
and a child builds a warmth and responsive relationship with each other
(MacNaughton & Williams, 2009).
Working alongside children
with tools trying to encourage them to use the tools in a correct way, is a
definition of technology, utilising the skills you have as an adult, may at
times restrict your capabilities to allow the child to feel the experience of
free play, for example, resource knowledge can restrict the learning taking
place. Rules are put in place in the centre to ensure a safe environment, for
example, recognising that the tools can be dangerous if used in an appropriate
way. A hammer can be used to tap and to retrieve a nail, screws have different
lengths and different ends, nails come in a range of shapes/lengths. This is
also good opportunity to use numeracy especially around short and long pieces
of equipment.
Learning from this
experience I have to convince myself that this is a different world: technology
is therefore an integral area of the early childhood curriculum. If we as
educators are to support children’s learning in this area, we need to extend
our understanding of technology and continue to widen our own knowledge and
skill base (Smorti, 1999 Autumn).
Reference List:
Arthur, L., B., Dockett,
S., Farmer, S., Farmer, S., & Death, E. (2008).
Programming
and planning in early childhood settings (4th ed).
Melbourne, Australia: Thomson
Learning.
MacNaughton, G., &
Williams, G. (2009). Techniques for
teaching young
children:
Choices in theory and practice (3rd
ed.). Frenchs Forrests,
NSW, Australia: Pearson Prentice
Hall.
Smorti, S. (1999 Autumn)
Technology in early childhood. Early
Education, 19.
Hi Daphne. I really enjoy reading your entry. I also have some similar experiences as you. My parents never allowed me to get close to the carpentry table and I never seen carpentry table at the school or early childhood centre in my country. It was surprised me when I first time saw carpentry table at my centre. I thought it was too dangerous for our children. However, from my study and teaching experience, my mind was changed. I agree with you that carpentry table can be a valuable learning area for children, if teachers provide appropriate supports for them and scaffolding their learning. Children’s problem solving skills and creativity are developed when they are using different tools and equipments at the carpentry table. For example, they learn the skill of how to hammer nails into wood and how to use the resources to create different objects. However, we do need to consider the safety issue when children at the carpentry table. We should allow children to take risk while keeping them safe (Greenfield, 2003). At the same time, children also develop knowledge about how to keep them safe and increase confidence in controlling over their bodies (Ministry of Education, 1996).
ReplyDeleteGreenfield, C. (2003). Outdoor play- the case for risks and challenges in children’s learning and development.
Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki, He whāriki mātauranga mo nga mokopunao Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.
Hammers, nails, screwdrivers and woods – I never think them as a technology. I just think them as tools and use for building purpose.
ReplyDeleteFormerly, I have a same thought with you that scared to let the children to play with those things. I remember when my daughter went to kindergarten when she was three years old; I found that there was a carpenter table and a table with real nails, saws and screwdrivers. I reminded my daughter to not play with those things because those things were not suitable for her age.
Since I enrolled in the ECE course, I have to change the view of above. I understand “children need to be able to learn by making ‘mistakes’ in a secure environment” (Cole, Clark, Hirschheimer, Martyn & Morrall, 2001, p. 1). Therefore, if a child demonstrates he/she wants to play with, I will assist them to do it. Let them feeling the weight of hammer and experience the feeling of nails.
Reference
Cole, J., Clark, S., Hirschheimer, S., Martyn, T., & Morrall, J. (2001). Helping young children learn through activities in the early years. Abingdon, United Kingdom: Hodder & Stoughton.
Comment
ReplyDeleteWow, Dephne this is such a nice entry.
It is good to see you working hands on with children. It was interesting how a lot of children enjoy working with hands! I agree that working alongside with children scaffolds their learning and it also gives children support they need when they are exploring new thing. Te Whāriki states that “the knowledge that trying things out, exploration, and curiosity are important and valued ways of learning” (Ministry of Education, 1996, p84). Children often use adults as a secure base while exploring new environment or new situation, and I think it is important for early childhood educators to support children. I also agree that you need to acknowledge that different culture would have provided children with different experiences, and that some children may be a bit more familiar with tools than others. In such cases, I believe that these children should be give more support compared with others so that they can have equally enjoyable experiences. I really enjoyed reading your blog, well done Dephne!
Mālō e lelei Daphne! Hammer, hammer, hammer and non digital technological equipment! I like the way you put it because most of the time we only associate technology with digital equipment and we forget, that before we went digital there was non-digital equipment and they are still around. I am glad that you came up with this, because it is a good reminder that there is a lot of non-digital technological equipment that we are using all the time without even noticing or even acknowledging. I realised that you had mixed emotions about this, because of what you previously experienced. You did not have the freedom to use the hammer and nails whenever you wanted and if you did they would be taken away from you immediately.
ReplyDeleteI am glad that you confronted that fear and that feeling by allowing the children to use the hammer and nails. You made sure that would enjoy their experiences by making sure that they were aware of their safeties first. You showed them how use this equipment safely as well as different ways to use them to maximise their learning and understandings. You guided their learning by talking to them and explaining the process to make sure that they knew and understood what they were doing. Daphne, you are obviously using the hammer as a technological tool to enhance children’s learning and they were responding to it. The hammer allowed you to bond and to build good relationships with the children as you shared your learning and enjoyment of this non-digital equipment whereas “children’s development is expanded through “experiences and understanding of people, places, events and things” (Ministry of Education, 1996, p.21).
References
Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki: He whārikimātaurangamo ngamokopunao Aotearoa. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.